Here Are the Four Stephen King Stories That Will Appear in the Anthology Flick 'The Reaper's Image'

It’s been over two decades since we’ve had a theatrically-released anthology film based on Stephen King stories (Cat’s Eye and the two Creepshow films were released way back in the ‘80s), but that’s about to change. Mark Pavia is hard at work on an all new anthology film featuring tales of terror from the master of horror, and blog The Fire Wire has the inside scoop on what titles we can expect when the film is finally released.

The new project, entitled The Reaper’s Image, is set to feature a little something for everyone. Packing in four of King’s tales, the goal is to mix the author’s modern work with stories from earlier in his career. Two of the featured spine-tinglers were chosen by Pavia, two by King. Here are the selections:

First up, and most obvious, is The Reaper’s Image. King’s piece about an antique mirror haunted by the visage of the Grim Reaper was the author’s second professionally published story and appeared in Startling Mystery Stories way back in 1969. The piece was later included in the short story collection Skeleton Crew.

The Reaper’s Image isn’t the only title from that landmark anthology to make the cut. King’s story The Monkey – about a possessed monkey toy that causes a living thing to die every time it clangs its cymbals is also slated for inclusion. The story originally appeared in a 1980 issue of Gallery magazine, but was then substantially revised by the author for inclusion in Skeleton Crew. No word yet on whether the screen tale will be based on the magazine or Skeleton Crew version of the tale.

Things get more modern thanks to the selection of King’s Mile 81. A novella released exclusively as an e-book late last year, Mile 81 evokes memories of Christine – featuring another spooky automobile and a teen forced to do battle with it at an abandoned Maine rest stop.

Saving the best for last, King’s novella N. will also be featured in the film. The story, a Lovecraftian piece about madness and evil that we can’t begin to comprehend, was previously adapted as a multi-part graphic video series and then a four-part miniseries by Marvel Comics. It was also part of the author’s 2008 collection, Just After Sunset. I’ve wanted to see a film version of N. since I first read it, so this is pretty exciting news. My only concern is that it’s going to be a short film, when I suspect it’s strong enough to be a feature.

Pavia is currently at work adapting the stories for The Reaper’s Image. This marks the second time he’s collaborated with King (they also teamed up for The Night Flier), so here’s to hoping that familiarity leads to a great viewing experience.

In the meantime, let us know what you think of these choices. What King short stories would you want to see adapted in an anthology film?

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